Magical

^ Since taking this photo in February with my IXUS60 point-and-shoot, I've taken another 2300 or so photos with it. Additional spare time seems to be a genuine inspiration for taking additional photos...

And yet, the spare time hasn't really been all that magical. I'm still dealing with insurance stuff. Well, I think I am, although I haven't heard a thing from them for quite some time. Guess I should call them. I also need to send off the complaint letter to the removal company and some removalist ombudsman thing. So I should do that too.

Plus there's been all the stuff with Centrelink.

I thought it was bad enough back in Victoria when I was there in January or whenever it was with the insanely long lines and waiting time and deeply disturbing customers (including a woman with children who tried their best to trash the joint, someone whose two little daughters were practicing French kissing on each other, a guy in very tight leopard-print flares with a fluffy red jumper, an ancient crusty man hitting on the young mother in front of him in the queue and a whole lot of other things that made me want to run out screaming).

But that's just warming you up for the main action, which is being told different, contradictory things by Centrelinke people every single time you go in. So after five attempts, I think it may be sorted out now. Possibly. But I won't hold my breath and I'm sure they'll come up with other things that I should have brought in to show them before they can process anything, although no-one ever said anything about those things in the previous visit (you know, things like the potential names of your firstborn, whether you have recurring dreams about anything, the name of the person you sat next to in Year 3 at Primary School, etc).

The highlight of the most recent Centrelink visit? Discovering I actually have a jobseeker number. A jobseeker number that was approved about two months ago. And that they've only NOW told me about. Fantastic. Great. Thanks. Yeah, don't want to rush telling people about these things in case they find that the government's jobsearch site has a job on there they could have applied for in the PAST TWO MONTHS. Y'know, they're only looking for work... It's not like it's really that important.

I do wonder if it's part of a bigger Centrelink plan to make you give up, go away and not bother them again.

Although at least the visits to the Centrelink offices have not been dull. The previous visit's entertainment was the heroin-addicted couple soap opera action, complete with skanktacular outfits and an elderly lady related to the guy who declared "It's not their f**kin' fault!" to other elderly female relatives who were disgusted with the drug addiction stuff. Some other people who were waiting laughed so hard that one of them nearly fell off their chair.

BUT...

All the dramas aside, it's been good spending time with family. And being able to relax a little after a particularly crazy past 18 months. And see people I've not seen for ages. Oh, and go to the beach on the odd occasion - I love the beach! :)